Warriors True Love Runs Deep
by Hawkshadow741
Summary: Firepaw gets more than he bargained for when he joins Thunderclan


Warriors True Love Runs Deep

Warriors copyright to Erin Hunter and co.

Chapter 1

Spottedleaf opened her amber eyes. The sun cast a soft, warm glow into her clearing. She smiled and yawned, shaking the last traces of sleep from her body before padding out and into the brighter glare of the main camp. She saw a familiar shape by the camp entrance and went over. It was a tortoiseshell tomcat with a bright ginger tail. "Redtail!" She called. He turned and smiled. "Hello Spottedleaf, how are you?" Spottedleaf smiled and turned her gaze on Firepaw, the small ginger, tom…although he was now about her size. "I'm fine, hello Firepaw." She mewed somewhat coldly. He shyly mewed a greeting and ran off, stumbling over his feet on the way. Redtail watched him go. "What's up between you and him?" Spottedleaf shrugged, and went to her den, off to the side of the camp, accessible through a fern tunnel.

Firepaw wandered into the apprentices den. A gray head poked up out of a tangle of bodies. "Hoy, Firepaw! What's up?" Firepaw shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it…" His voice trailed off. A light-ginger she-cat trotted by him, pausing to stare at him "Hi, Firepaw." She mewed around the vole in her mouth, "What's up with the long face?" It would have insulted him a couple of days ago, when he first came to the Forest Cats home. Now, it just made him smile. He had made good friends with the apprentices…at least they talked to him, not avoiding him or openly humiliating him. Sandpaw and Graypaw were his closest friends in the camp. Firepaw curled up into a tight ball, glad to have friends close by, ones who cared about him. It reminded him of his kithood; back when he was a kittypet. He had stood out among his gray and black-and-white brothers and his one tabby sister, Princess

His mind started to wander, filling his head with strange images. Cats that could jump higher than a frightened deer, run faster than a horse and cats stronger than dogs…except smarter. He sighed and rolled over onto his back. "Good night Firepaw." mewed a sleepy voice "Yeah, sure"

Surprisingly, he slept well for not being in a warm nest lined with soft down…he shook his head and concentrated on his new life, as a clan cat. Graypaw mumbled in his sleep and began to purr. He was dreaming…of what, Firepaw wasn't certain. Come to think of it...what_ did _Forest cats dream about? Firepaw shook his head to clear his mind again...that was his problem, he liked to think. Finally, he fell asleep

Spottedleaf sensed eyes watching her and she turned to face the small tortoiseshell tom. Redtail nodded and looked over at Firepaw, who was stretching in the early morning sunlight. "Well, seems to me that our friend is enjoying his…stay with us." He mewed lightly. Spottedleaf raised and eyebrow. "You say it like he's going to leave." She laughed and Firepaw pricked his ears and turned to look at her. "What? Are you…jealous?" She asked, a knowing gleam in her eye. Redtail snorted and avoided her gaze. "N-no, I am not." She flicked her paw and Redtail flinched away. "I'm not going to…_sheesh_, and you're the deputy!" She teased him. Redtail coughed and turned away to look at Bluestar as she trotted in from the dawn patrol, which, he remembered, had departed well over two hours ago. He trotted over, worried. "Are you okay? I was just about to send a patrol after you."

Bluestar shook her head, "No, just Shadowclan, marking on our side of the Thunderpath." There was a shocked mew from a passing queen, who was carrying a small kit, who began to mew in distress. "I'm going to call a clan meeting." Bluestar leaped onto the Highrock and addressed the silent camp: "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by the Highrock for a clan meeting" The cats of Thunderclan slowly gathered around. Firepaw found himself sitting next to a large tabby cat with cold amber eyes. The tabby turned to scrutinize him, snorted in disgust, and looked back at Bluestar. Firepaw frowned and wondered, yet again, if he should be out here…


End file.
